Truss.



- J. T. HAILE.

v TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED Mass, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

JAMES THOMAS HAILE, 0F UTOPIA, TEXAS.

TRUSS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. HAILE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Utopia, in the county of Uvalde and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trusses, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to trusses, my object being to provide certain improve ments with respect both to the truss pad and the adjustable connections for securing the same to the wearer, whereby to form a more sanitary, more comfortable and more beneficial device than is now in use.

The means and structure by which I attain these advantages are clearly shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which,

Figure l is a front elevation illustrating the practical application of my improvements. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation showing the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective elevation looking at one end of the truss pad and showing its connections broken away. Fig. i is a similar View looking at the outer face of the pad. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the back plate of the pad and its connections, certain of which are in section. Fig. 6 is a plan view of one end of the body spring and its adjustable extension, the envelop of the former being in section. Fig. '7 is a section taken substantially on line 77 of Fig. 5, looking in the direct-ion of the arrow, and Fig. 8 is a similar view looking in the opposite direction.

Referring now to these figures, my improved truss pad comprises a body A of a soft compressible material such as felt, and a facing layer A of cool, soft material which will permit of the free circulation of air next to the skin when the pad is in place and which will not mat, such as sponge rubber, the body A and the facing layer A being securely fastened to a back plate A The back plate A as most clearly shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 8 is substantially oval in contour and concavo-convexly curved, being curved in a greater degree in the direction of its longitudinal axis whereby the pad will fit evenly over the parts which it is intended to cover and hold in place. Extending from the back plate A at one side of its center is a rigid stud a the outer threaded end of which is adapted to pass through a longitudinal slot 0 in one leaf C of a hinge projecting substantially in line Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 23, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914. Serial No. 763,062.

with the longitudinal axis of the back plate, nuts (6* serving to rigidly secure the leaf 0 in adjusted position. The other leaf C of the hinge above mentioned is rigidly and permanently connected to an upright strip D, from the lower end of which extends a bracket (Z through which is secured a stud (Z, the inner portion of which is adapted to bear against the hinge leaf C and thus limit the movement of the pad upon the hinge in one direction. The outer end of bracket cl is provided with a transverse slot (Z to which one end of the waist strap E is connected. At its upper end, the upright strip D is provided with a pair of clamping bolts (Z which pass through an intermediate longitudinal slot f in the extension piece F of the body spring I), serving to adjustably connect the extension to the said strip D The free end of the extension F is provided with a rigid stud f and its opposite end f is rounded and centrally apertured, one face having a series of radial teeth, whereby to adj ustably engage the similarly shaped end f of the body spring, a clamping bolt f serving to clamp these parts in adjusted position.

' The body spring is of a length sufficient to encircle the greater portion of the body above the waist-line and is twisted and curved in its length in order to closely fit the body and support the pad in place, this spring being incased by a leather envelop F the free end of which is extended beyond the free end of the body spring and provided with a longitudinal series of eyes, a selected one of which may be engaged with the stud f. Intermediate the ends of the body spring F and its envelop F is sup ported a guide loop 6 through which the waist strap E also extends, this latter strap being adapted to pass halfway around the body and having at its end a buckle c as shown in Fig. 2 and serving as a supplemental support for the pad and as a means to prevent the body spring from riding up on the body.

The perineal strap B has one end connected through slot (Z and passes downwardly from the bracket (Z and upwardly between the limbs of the wearer, its free end being apertured and engageable with the buckle 6 thus cooperating with the waist strap E. From this it will be seen that in addition to the before mentioned properties of the pad itself, my invention provides for firmly holding the same in selected adjustment with a minimum harness and at the same time allowing for all necessary body movement while the pad is in use.

I have shown and described only one pad, illustrating the same as applied to the left side of the body, but it is to be understood that I may use two pads or a single pad for the right side of the body by only a slight variation of the connections.

I claim:

1. In a truss, the combination of a pad,

a body spring, an upright strip having a longitudinal movable and angularly adjust able connection with said body spring, and a hinge member connecting said strip and the pad, which member is adjustable on the ,ad. r 2. In a truss, the combination of a pad, a body spring having an angularly adjustable extension at one end and means for se curing said extension in adjusted position, a connecting strip longitudinally adjustable on said extension, and a hinged connection between said strip and the pad.

3. In a truss, the combination of a pad, a body spring, a hinge having one leaf adjustably connected to the pad, and a connecting member to which the other hinge leaf is secured said connecting member having an angular and longitudinal adjustable connection with the body spring.

l. In a truss, the combination of a pad,

a body spring having an angularly adjustable extension at one end, a connecting strip longitudinally adjustable on said extension, and a hinge having one leaf adjustably connected to the pad and having its other leaf secured to said connecting member.

5. In a truss, the combination of a pad, a body spring, a connecting member secured to the body spring, a hinge having one leaf secured to the pad and its other leaf secured to said connecting member, a bracket secured to said connecting member, and a member secured through the said bracket and adapted to engage the hinge leaf secured to the pad, said member also forming a strap connection.

6. In a truss, the combination of a pad, a body spring having a movable adjustable connection with the pad, a waist strap partially encircling the body and having connection at its front end to the pad, a mem her for connecting the rear end of the said strap to the body spring intermediate the ends of the latter, and a perineal strap having connection at its front end to the pad and at its rear end to the rear end of said waist strap.

JAMES THOMAS IIAILE.

Witnesses:

Gno. A. BARKER, J. I. REYNOLDS, O. N. lVnN'rWoRm-I.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatentm, Washington, D. G. 

